Resident Staff Information Session

October 21, 2013

Janelle S. PeiferProgram Coordinator for Resident Advisor SelectionsHousing and Residence Life

The purpose statement of the Housing and Residence Life Program

The mission of our department is to work collaboratively to create inclusive, welcoming communities where residents are empowered to engage their potential as scholars and leaders through self-governance and participation in their residential community.

Role of a Resident Advisor

• Administration

• Community Development

• Program Development

• Counseling and Referral

Employment• Resident Staff members are employed by the Housing and Residence Life (HRL)

• Resident Advisors are supervised by a Senior Resident who is a student with at least one year of experience as an RA.

Remuneration*A furnished single room, rent-free during the term of employment, local phone, data hook up, and Resident Staff Meal Plan (50 meals per semester, 130 Plus Dollars per semester).* Subject to change

More than a Free Room, More than a Free Meal

• Lasting friendships

• Community of support

• Opportunities for promotion

• Leadership skills

additional resources to learn about Resident Staff

• Talk to your RA or Senior Resident• Information on virginia.edu/housing/selections.php • “Like Us” on Facebook

positions available for you:

• Resident Advisor – First-Year Areas• Resident Advisor – Upper-class Apartments• Resident Advisor – Focused Communities• Language Houses, Residential Colleges,

JMW Transfer Community

The number of positions available varies based on the number of staffers who return to the Program

Resident Advisor : First Year Areas

approximately 150 RAs

• Works with 18-25 first-year students providing continual support for the transition to the University in an all first-year environment.

• First Year Areas:• Alderman North: Hall style• Alderman South: Suite style

o includes Gooch/Dillard• McCormick: Hall style

Resident Advisor : Upper-class Area

24 RAs

• Works with 30-80 upper-class/graduate students; provides continual support and referral as a peer; assists transfer students with transition to the University

• Upper-class Apartments Bice, Copeley, Faulkner, Lambeth

Focused Communities• Residential Colleges• Language Houses• Transfer Residential Community

(Johnson-Malone-Weedon – JMW)

Transfer Community: Johnson-Malone-Weedon (JMW) JMW is home to the transfer residential

program; About a third of the community is made up of transfer students; 9 RAs with the aim of up to 5 positions filled by students who transferred to UVa.

Resident Advisor : Residential Colleges

21 RAs

• Works with 30-50 residents ranging from first-years to graduate students providing continual support for upper-class students and transition assistance for first-year and transfer students in a residential college.

• Residential Colleges• Brown College, International Residential

College, Hereford Residential College

* Must first apply, be accepted, and accept offer for the appropriate

residential college to be on staff there *

Resident Advisor : Language Houses

5 RAs

• Works with 10-80 upper-class/graduate residents in a language emersion experience providing continual support and referral as a peer

• Language Houses• French, German, Russian, Shea and

Spanish

RA Eligibility

• First-Year Area : full-time undergraduate • Upper-class and Focused Communities : full-time undergraduate and graduate• Cumulative GPA of 2.25 or greater; 2.00

semester GPA• good academic standing as defined by your

school• good judicial/disciplinary standing

Judicial HistoryHaving a judicial history does not immediately eliminate a candidate from consideration. Some issues will be explored during the individual interview. Certain incidences may warrant further review and potential removal from the process (e.g. arrest or UJC guilty verdict in the last year).

Special Circumstances

• Final year of a 5th year UVA Masters Program

• Study Abroad• e-mail to arrange interview conducted over Skype (contact me directly)• If you are planning to study abroad next year (2014-2015) you may apply now and if offered a position, defer until Fall 2015 (placement not guaranteed).

Selections Process

1. Application2. Recommendation3. Résumé 4. Individual Interview

5. Group Interview*note: there are two separate but connected processes – Focused Communities (Focused) and First-Year/Upper-class (FY/UC)

Application

• Available online at virginia.edu/housing• Peruse the Selections page for detailed information and helpful guides

•Complete applications due by • For Focused Applicants: Jan. 17th, 2013 – 12 PM• For FY/UC Applicants: Jan. 27th, 2013 – 8 AM

Late and/or incomplete submissions will not be accepted!

More Info for Focused ApplicantsMust be accepted to community you apply

for (excluding JMW)

Indicate on your application if you’d like to transition into FY/UC process if not offered a Focused interview or positionWill need to sign-up for FY/UC interviews

Separate Interview Processes (Group and Individual)

Recommendation Form

• Online•One recommendation from someone who can speak to your leadership style and experiences•Good choices would be:• Resident Staff member• Peer Advisor at U.Va.• Faculty member or Administrator• Student leader

Résumé• Considered part of complete application packet

• For help constructing a résumé and interview tips take advantage of UCS: career.virginia.edu, call 434.924.8900, or check out this resource.

• Resume workshop will be held – check the website for details in the Spring Semester

Group Interview

• When: Sunday, January 26th (Focused) Sunday, February 16th (FY/UC)

• You will have a 90 minute interview with a group of approximately 3 RAs and 8-12 other candidates.

• As a group, you will work together to address several different scenarios that speak towards your understanding of the Resident Staff program and evaluate your critical thinking skills in situations commonly faced by RAs.

Individual Interview• Where: TBA (Focused) TBA(FY/UC)• When: Jan. 31 (Focused) Feb. 19 – 22 (FY/UC)

• You will sign up online for a 30 minute time block, and interview with a team of 3 current staffers.

• Arrive early and sign-in in the Newcomb Main Lounge, where you will be assigned an interview table.

• You will be asked a variety of questions that speak towards your understanding of the Resident Staff Program and your approach to issues commonly faced by Resident Advisors.

Interview Conflicts?

Excusable reasons are: academic, emergency, or certain University

sponsored events

If you would like to request a make-up interview, please email

Janelle S. Peifer, selectionsuva@gmail.com, by

January 30th

Hiring Notification

• during Spring Break 2014- Notification letters sent to your UVa email address

• Mar 24th - Accept or Decline offer by 4 pm in the Residence Life office (Dabney residence hall / McCormick Road)

•On Grounds housing contracts will be released if offered a position

Behind the Scenes…

• We also have to hold Promotional Interviews for current staffers

• Need to determine the number of returning staffers

• All of this affects the number of positions for you!

Alternate Status

• Qualified candidates who did not receive an offer due to the limited positions available will be placed in an alternate pool

•Alternates will receive specific notification with FAQs

•Placement is not guaranteed.

Financial Aid

For financial aid purposes, the compensation received for room, board and stipend is included as a resource. When adjusting the financial aid award, this resource will be applied first to unmet need, then loans and then work-study. If this resource exceeds your unmet need, loans and work-study, then your university grants will be reduced. Speak with someone from Financial Aid to understand how your package may be impacted.

Contact: faid@virginia.edu

Questions?

Website•Virginia.edu/housing/selections.php

E-mail• Janelle S. Peifer, selectionsuva@gmail.com